| OPTIMAX NEWSLETTER
Q1 2010 |
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Optimax
continues to grow through education and technological advancements.
- What's New at Optimax:
Optimax is off to a busy start in 2010! The year 2009 ended
with a positive streak and we continue to push forward...
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Optimax
has planned updates and enhancements for the web site this year. For
the latest on Optimax, please visit the Optimax
Web Site
regularly.
Cheers,
| Rick
Plympton |
Optimax
Systems, Inc.
| | VP Sales |
6367
Dean Parkway
| | Optimax
Systems, Inc. |
Ontario,
NY 14519-8939
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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What's
New at Optimax
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Optimax
is off to a busy start in 2010! The year 2009 ended with a positive
streak and we continue to push forward. New technical notes have been
posted to our website, and preparations for attending upcoming
tradeshows have been made.
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Through
years of
experience, Optimax has become somewhat of an expert in glass to glass
bonding of precision optical components. As our know-how and
understanding of the process
have increased, so has the realization that there are many
considerations to take into account when designing such a process. Two new
technical
papers have been written by Optimax Manufacturing Engineering to help inform optical
engineers about certain aspects |
of doing
a
doublet
assembly. In
Considerations
in Manufacturing
Cemented Assemblies and Assembly
Method
Considerations for Cemented Assemblies you can read about
options in
constructing a doublet lens assembly and techniques in communicating critical items, such as mounting surfaces.
Keeping
true to the
spirit of moving forward, SPIE
BiOS and SPIE
Photonics West 2010 are
just around the corner and Optimax will be among the exhibitors. Please
come visit us at our booth, 8731 for BiOS and 731 for Photonics West.
Our team is looking forward to seeing many friends, customers, and
colleagues out on the West Coast.
Though times
were tough in 2009,
Optimax
experienced its second highest bookings year ever. With the workforce
getting ready for an economic upturn in 2010, we are like a Thoroughbred
waiting to race through the gates. The accomplishments of the past have
us anticipating the triumphs of the future as things start to pick
up. We wish everyone the best in 2010!
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Mike
Mandina - The 2009 RRPC Entrepreneur of the Year
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Mike
Mandina, president, has been awarded The 2009 Rochester Regional
Photonics Cluster Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The award is based on
"creativity, innovative spirit and drive in pursuit of the dream of
creating an industry-leading company in the Optics, Photonics, and
Imaging Industry." Mike has made this a life-long trend. In 1976,
Mike
started his first optics fabrication company, Cormac Industries. This
company was sold to Melles Griot in 1980 and is now part of CVI/Melles
Griot in Rochester. In 1991, Optimax began in a barn and Mike joined
the team. Since then, he has provided the leadership needed to build
the company up to 150 employees, including 100 opticians, all in a
40,000 square foot advanced manufacturing facility.
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His
entrepreneurship
has also extended to the Finger
Lakes Advanced Manufacturers'
Enterprise (FAME). | |
In 2007,
by Mike's initiative, this non-profit
organization was founded to create awareness on behalf of local
manufacturers, provide support for their mutual needs, and build an
educated regional workforce. FAME has recently expanded to cover a nine
county area.
It's not
so much the entrepreneurship itself that
causes us to celebrate; it's the passion that has inspired it. There
was and is a need for people who will lead us to the next phase of
optics manufacturing and will lead the next generation of opticians to
our shops. To be a part of this is exciting and Optimax is proud to
support these activities.
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Optimax
Expanding Capabilities with New MRF Machine
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Optimax
is expanding its capability of manufacturing high precision spheres and
aspheres with the acquisition of QED Technologies' Q22-Y
Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF) machine. With the MRF
system, Optimax will predictably produce optics better than λ/20 p-v
for larger optics up to 200mm in diameter while maintaining pristine
surface finishes less than 2nm RMS. In addition to increasing
the size capacity, Optimax will leverage the Q22-Y's rastering
capabilities to finish prism, free-form, and cylindrical optics as
well.
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The
Q22-Y will
co-exist with the smaller format Q22-XE which specializes in smaller,
rotationally symmetric optics. The Q22-XE also has the
capability of
producing steeper concave optics with radii as small as 15mm.
The
deterministic nature of MRF technology enhances Optimax's dedication to
small volumes, high quality and quick delivery by reducing cycle times for larger spheres, aspheres, and cylindrical optics.
For more
information
on QED's Q22-Y machine, you can download a brochure at www.qedmrf.com.
To speak to us about our internal use of the machine and what it means
for expanding our capabilities, please contact Mark Schickler,
mschickler@optimaxsi.com. |
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Employee
Profile: Alison Wiederhold
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| Alison Wiederhold - Sales Engineer |
| Alison
Wiederhold joined Optimax in 2006 when she began working in our Quality
Department. In 2007, Alison made a change to the Sales Department where
she works today as a sales engineer. With a bachelors degree
in
Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Albany, her strong
technical background has been an asset to the sales team.
Alison
supports our East Coast customers by providing quotations and
responding to their questions. She has taken in-house training and
courses at Monroe Community College to increase her level of expertise.
Her daily interactions with internal and external customers have
allowed her to challenge her knowledge and grow in her role. With the
recent addition of administrative support, Alison is able to provide
more technical support.
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| Outgoing
and friendly, a job in sales fits Alison well. Her enthusiasm and
positive outlook on life has been a key-driver as she cares for her
three-year-old daughter, Livvie. As if the challenge of raising a
toddler wasn't enough, Alison recently completed the Rochester marathon
and plans to train for another race in spring. Together, Alison and
Livvie enjoy traveling and visiting friends.
Please contact
Alison at sales@optimaxsi.com with any inquiries relating to sales. She may also be reached at 585-265-1066 x259.
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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